C4 PREMIERES
C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective is pleased to announce PREMIERES, a series of two workshops intended to foster growth in choral composition by giving guidance and feedback with regards to the revision process. C4 will present the selected works in public concerts on Saturday, October 19, 2024 and Saturday, December 14, 2024 in New York City.
The PREMIERES workshops will offer composers the opportunity to have their piece rehearsed and performed by the C4 Ensemble in New York City, receiving guidance from the group along the way. This fee-based workshop will allow for composers to make changes to their score as needed throughout the rehearsal process, culminating in a New York City premiere AND a concert recording of their piece. Space is limited, but all submitted scores will be considered. If you are unable to travel to New York City, you will be able to take part in the workshops remotely.
This is an educational opportunity for composers who are new to choral composition or who are looking to improve their skills in this area. For composers who are looking to have their works performed without feedback, we welcome submissions at info@C4ensemble.org.
The deadline for submission is Sunday, June 30, 2024.
WORKSHOP DETAILS
- C4 will accept up to 8 composers to participate in PREMIERES.
- The participation fee for selected composers is $400. This fee will help to defer the cost of printing music, the production of the concerts, and the recording it will generate. If this fee would cause hardship, please contact us to be considered for a partial or full scholarship.
- All pieces will be conducted by C4 conductors.
- Selected composers will be assigned a mentor composer from within C4, from whom they will receive feedback and advice both before rehearsals begin and throughout the rehearsal process, providing the participating composers a chance to revise their piece, the score layout, etc. before the first rehearsal and throughout the workshop. Selected composers will also receive feedback from the conductor of their piece throughout the process.
- Composers will have the opportunity to make revisions to their scores during the rehearsal process. Scores will be printed in binder/loose-leaf format so that individual pages can easily be replaced.
- Each selected piece will be granted approximately 90 minutes of rehearsal time over the course of five rehearsals, with each piece receiving the same amount of time per rehearsal; please keep this in mind when considering the difficulty level of the piece(s) you submit. A rehearsal pianist will be available for some of the rehearsals as needed.
- In your application, composers may select their preferred workshop dates. The two performance dates are October 19 and December 14, 2024. There will be five rehearsals and one dress rehearsal to prepare for each performance. C4 will take date preferences into consideration, but cannot guarantee that all composers will receive their preferred date.
- Selected participants who cannot travel to New York City may participate in rehearsals and watch the performance remotely.
- The pieces performed in the PREMIERES workshop concerts may be considered for future performance by C4.
- Composers will be provided with a high-quality live recording of their piece from its concert performance.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
- Pieces must have been written within the last 10 years.
- Submitted works should not have been performed professionally. Unperformed works and/or works in progress are encouraged, but not necessary.
- Pieces must be for a cappella choir only.
- Length of submissions should be three (3) to six (6) minutes.
- C4 is a 25-voice choir (approximately six on a part). Voicing should not exceed the capability of the group. C4 will consider all submissions regardless of difficulty level.
- Pieces can be for TB, SA, or mixed chorus.
- No more than three pieces may be submitted for consideration (though only one piece will be selected per composer).
- Text used for pieces must either be in the public domain or have documented permission for use.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- PDF(s) scores for submitted work(s)
- Proof of permission for any non-public domain texts in your submitted works
- Application form
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS
- Resume/CV
- Audio/MIDI file(s) for submitted work(s). Audio files are not required but for practical reasons, C4 reserves the right to give preference to pieces with accompanying audio files. Please reach out to us if you are in need of assistance in this task.
- Website
- “Statement of Interest”
- Diversity Questions
Consideration and Judgment
- A panel of C4 members will review submissions and select participants.
- We seek participants that include people from traditionally underrepresented groups.
- Final decisions will be delivered by email no later than August 15, 2024.
Please fill out this online application by Sunday, June 30, 2024.
C4 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, ability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.